Copy post to separate database when published with 'add_action(…)' hook

EDIT: Just noticed the hacks sub-forum. I posted this there, feel free to delete this post.

I’m basically trying to have a copy of a post be sent to another database’s table when it’s published. I’ve gotten it to add a new row in the new table, with my own static arguments, but I’m not sure how to reference the actual post that’s being published.

function run_when_post_published($post_ID)
    {
    	echo "Hellooooo? Steve?";
    	echo "<br /> POST ID: " . $post_ID; // Won't even display "POST ID" with $post_ID in the string.
        $con = new wpdb("password", "_________admin", "_______wp", "_______.com");
    	if (!$con)
    	{
    		die('Could not connect: ' . mysql_error());
    	}

    	mysql_select_db("wp", $con);

    	$result = mysql_query("INSERT INTO ________wp.featured_posts (post_domain, post_author, post_title, post_content)
    VALUES ('3', '2', 'Sent from hook','Hello')");

    	mysql_close($con);
    }

    add_action('new_to_publish_featured', 'run_when_post_published');
    add_action('draft_to_publish_featured', 'run_when_post_published');
    add_action('pending_to_publish_featured', 'run_when_post_published');

    add_action('new_to_publish', 'run_when_post_published');
    add_action('draft_to_publish', 'run_when_post_published');
    add_action('pending_to_publish', 'run_when_post_published');

I’d like to have the whole post just basically copied.

Also I’d need to do this with attachments using:

add_action('add_attachment',....);

Again I’ve gotten the add_attachment action hook to add a row in the database, but I just don’t know how to reference the attachment that the hook is being initiated from.